Part of the challenges facing electricity supply at both the state and local government levels is the inadequacy of infrastructure that can make this happens. As a way to reduce the challenges, Cross Rivers state government is presently working hard at curbing some of the challenges confronting the energy sector in the state.
Sen Ben Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, said everything is in now place to commence the commercial production of vibrated electric poles.
Governor Ben Ayade stated in a tour of the State-owned Piles and Phylon factory situated at Akamkpa Local Government Area of the State where he said the factory will play a pivotal role in rural electrification.
Ayade disclosed that the State Electrification Agency, SEA, was already collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure the full take-off of commercial production at the factory.
According to the Governor, “this factory will produce all the poles and provide all the solar lighting panels that will support the rural electrification program.
“We intend to advance it beyond rural lighting and urban lighting to get solar farms where we can generate sufficient power. We will use all our monopoles to provide transmission of power from the solar farms to the city.
“So against this background, the State Electrification Agency is collaborating with third parties to guarantee full take off and production of the piles and pylons in this factory here in Akamkpa Local Government Area.”
Governor Ayade lamented that the factory was heavily vandalized during the #EndSARS protest, even as he disclosed that most of the vandalized machinery had been ordered.
Speaking earlier while conducting the Governor round the facility, the interim Director-General of the State Electrification Agency, Mr. Eric Akpo disclosed that products from the factory will hit the market once certification from the relevant regulatory agency is obtained.
“The Piles and Pylons Factory is very functional; we are preparing to hit the market with our poles. The only thing holding us back is that poles deployed for power reticulation have to be certified by the Nigeria Electricity Management and Services Agency, NEMSA
